A leash assembly is described for use as an animal leash that can be wound up and unwound and, more particularly, a leash assembly is described that functions as a retractable animal leash.
A conventional retractable leash includes a housing with a handle and a leash wound on a spool rotatably mounted in the housing. A connector at the outer distal end of the leash is connectable to a collar on an animal, such as a dog. The spool contains a coiled spring mechanism that maintains tension on the leash while it is pulled from the spool to any length from fully retracted to fully extended. The spring mechanism automatically retracts (or rewinds) the leash as the distance between dog and human reduces. The leash does not become slack, drag on the ground, get tangled, or experience other issues typical with a standard fixed-length leash.
A retractable leash has a single defined maximum length dictated by the length of the leash on the reel. When the leash is fully unwound from the spool, the “maximum length” has been reached. The typical retractable leash has a manually operated braking mechanism that, when depressed, will stop the leash from further extending or retracting at a selected length. The length of leash can thus be restricted to less than the maximum length by actuating the braking mechanism. In some applications, the manual brake also has a locking mechanism that will hold the brake in the depressed position such that the desired length of the leash remains in the extended state. While the brake is applied, the leash acts as a fixed-length leash, that is, it becomes slack and dangles unless stretched to its full fixed length.
One of the biggest concerns about using a standard retractable leash is safety. The maximum length is typically between 12 and 18 feet. When walking a dog, the human must remain diligent for any hazards that might come within the range of the maximum length. For example, if walking on a city sidewalk, a dog might run into the street in front of a car or lunge at an approaching dog. If the human does not react and manually brake the leash in time, serious injury or worse could result.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a retractable leash that may selectively be restricted to a predetermined length less than the maximum length before and while walking the dog.